OUR VIEW: Opiate abuse comes into the light in Taunton

Saturday

Mar 29, 2014 at 6:03 PMMar 29, 2014 at 6:08 PM

It used to be Taunton's dirty little secret. But opiate abuse has become so common, it is no longer in the shadows. “I've yet to come across a person who has not been affected by prescription drugs, that doesn't know a family member, a neighbor, someone in their life who has been affected by drugs,” said Laura Washington, the BOLD Coalition program director for Stanley Street Treatment and Resources.

It used to be Taunton’s dirty little secret. But opiate abuse has become so common, it is no longer in the shadows. “I’ve yet to come across a person who has not been affected by prescription drugs, that doesn’t know a family member, a neighbor, someone in their life who has been affected by drugs,” said Laura Washington, the BOLD Coalition program director for Stanley Street Treatment and Resources.

Some unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies hold tremendous influence at the federal level, which has allowed the approval of dangerous, powerful opiate-based drugs, which end up fueling opiate addiction — and that can lead to heroin use. That, combined with a lack of coordination among doctors prescribing such medication and pharmacists dispensing it, has made the opiate-based drugs widely available, only adding fuel to the fire.

The Partnership for Success II, with a grant from the state, is helping to get the message out about the dangers associated with prescription drug abuse among young adults, launching a public service announcement featuring the comedy troupe, “The Portuguese Kids,” on the Internet and other media targeted at 18-to 25-year-olds.

At the state level, Gov. Deval Patrick took an extraordinary step on Thursday in declaring opiate abuse a public health emergency. In doing so, Patrick has given emergency powers to the Department of Public Health director, and has directed his administration to “treat it like the public health crisis it is.”

While there are a number of paths that can lead to opiate addiction, it often begins in the medicine cabinet. Therefore, among Patrick’s directives are for the DPH to mandate that physicians and pharmacies use the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program, a database intended to prevent prescription drug abuse and fraud. The previously voluntary program has been in existence for more than 20 years, but has been woefully under-utilized by both doctors and pharmacists and has not been promoted and explained properly by DPH.

Patrick’s directives — which also include immediately banning Zohydro, a powerful new opiate-based prescription medication; granting permission for first responders to carry the overdose anitdode Narcan; requiring a state panel to issue further action steps in 60 days, and issuing of a public health advisory informing the public about treatment options — should help ensure that proper emergency safeguards are swiftly put into place.

But the solution to the problem does not begin and end with government action. “It’s not a political issue; it’s a public health issue,” said Michael Aguiar, the youth program coordinator at SSTAR. “We can make a difference if everyone does their part.” With a lack of action on the federal level, it is up to states and local communities to take steps to address it.

It will take as many people as possible to become a part of the solution. One easy place to start is in the medicine cabinet — by properly disposing of prescription medications so they cannot be abused.

To learn more about the Partnership for Success efforts and to access a variety of resources on prescription drug abuse, visit stoprxaddiction.org and stopaddictionbyprescription.org.